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Hans Bouffmyhre // Hans Bouffmyhre
When you hear the name Hans Bouffmyhre for the first time, you might hazard a guess the prolific producer and Sleaze label head was raised in a city like Berlin, growing up in an environment exuding the very spirit of Techno twenty-four hours a day. In actual fact Hans Bouffmyhre is a pseudonym devised by Glaswegian Stephen Gorrie, for the very reason that it conjures up images of some kind of enigmatic Techno demigod.
Beginning by hosting parties under the Sleaze name, Gorrie’s career has followed a very natural progression, entering the world of music production in 2007, and establishing the label arm of the Sleaze brand in 2008.
With an impressive series of releases under his belt, Gorrie has recently turned in a pulverising four track EP of peak-time warehouse Techno to Electric Deluxe, that’s both weighty and hypnotic in equal measure.
With the ‘Catapult’ EP on the brink of release, we caught up with Gorrie to discuss being brought up in Glasgow, Sleaze’s origins, as well as what’s next for the diligent Scotsman.
So first off, how did you first hook up with Electric Deluxe? Have you worked with Jochem for Sleaze events prior to releasing with the label?
I first met Jochem at one of his Electric Deluxe showcases during ADE at Melkweg a couple of years back. I was there to see my mate Gary Beck playing and Gary then introduced me to Jochem. A few weeks after that, I was booked to play alongside Jochem at Tony Rohr’s birthday party in Frankfurt. It was that night he told me he wanted to sign my track ‘Hypnosis’ to Electric Deluxe, which I was very excited about.
You released an EP with Electric Deluxe mid-last year, how do you feel the new release differs from ‘Hypnosis’?
For me ‘Hypnosis’ was the stand out track on the last EP. That’s why I included a couple of tools along with it, so DJ’s could get creative with the catchy synth line. The Catapult EP is made up of 4 strong tracks, which I have already played out a lot. Personally it’s hard for me to pick a favourite. I hope people will enjoy it!
Considering you’ve only been producing since 2007, the number of releases you’ve had is pretty staggering. With this, and running the label and event side of Sleaze, how do you find the time for everything?
Well i’ve always tried to be productive in the studio. At the moment i’m trying to make 4 new tracks every month if possible. Whether it be as Hans Bouffmyhre, or under my new alias Secluded. That doesn’t mean that all of them will be released though. I have a lot of unreleased material lying around on my hard drive. In terms of running my label, I have always had the ‘hands on’ approach. With the help of my Brother we do everything ourselves. Sometimes the work can get a bit much, especially if i’m gigging a lot over the weekend, but we always find the time to catch up and get things done.
The latest Sleaze EP comes from UZB backed by two amazing remixes from Mark Broom & Markus Suckut. What do you look for in a speculative release for Sleaze, and how do you go about choosing remix artists?
Well first of all it takes some special original tracks, which get me excited. Then we can decide on whether or not to include remixes. It’s important to try and get a remix artist who’s style suits the vibe of the original track. I think on SLEAZE084, this worked out perfectly with Mark Broom & Markus Suckut, who have both done a great job.
How do you think the label’s origins as an event series have informed its releases?
Running the monthly ‘Sleaze’ party was a great way for us to start out. It was ideal for making contacts and building our profile before starting the label. We are still good friends with guys like Par Grindvik, Perc, Phil Kieran & Gary Beck, who we booked back in 2006/2007.
What were the first parties you hosted like? Any memorable stories?
They were mental! We were all young and having a great time, while bringing some big international techno talent to our home town. One of the memorable ‘sell-out’ events was having Extrawelt playing live for our 1st Birthday party. That night was immense! I must say though, some of the after-parties at my Brother’s flat were just as memorable as the events themselves ;)
Having put on events all around the world, which venues would you say you’ve enjoyed playing at the most?
In recent years I would have to say that both Berghain & Tresor have been special places to play. It’s amazing to have two techno clubs as good as this in the same city. You can’t ask for more!
To what extent do you think being raised in Glasgow influenced your tastes? Was it mainly Techno you listened to growing up?
We were lucky to have a strong techno scene in Glasgow growing up. I started going to Slam’s techno events at the Arches when I was 17 and was instantly inspired. There’s always something good on each weekend.
Finally, Sleaze had it’s five year anniversary celebrations at the start of the month. What do you have in store for the future?
We have our ADE showcase on Thursday 17th October at Transformatorhuis in Amsterdam. The last couple of years have been special and this year looks like it could be the best yet. I also have my first Hans Bouffmyhre album on Sleaze Records coming up. It’s called ‘Where I Belong’ and will be out in December.
- Published
- Sep 26, 2013